Here’s a simple soup to prove that pumpkins are good for more than just pies and jack-o-lanterns.

6 cups water

6 chicken bouillon cubes

1 small pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)

1 teaspoon black papper

a few shakes each of turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper

garnish: sour cream and snipped chives

While you process the pumpkin, bring water and bouillon to boil.

Toss in pumpkin cubes and return to a vigorous boil. Lower heat and keep cooking for about 30 minutes. Smash softened pumpkin with a potato masher. Stir in peanut butter and spices. Continue cooking till nice and hot. Garnish with sour cream and chives.

King Felix is more a cat-of-action than a meower. If he needs attention, Felix taps your leg. If you’ve been at the computer too long, he jumps on the CPU, stares with those huge, yellow eyes and threatens to jump on the scanner!

When the King decides you need a nap, he stretches his big body over your torso and purrs you to Dreamland. No one’s sweeter at expressing love. The King often tenderly licks the top of Queen Sylly or Princess Whisper’s heads. He sweeps his long, fluffy tail across anyone fortunate enough to be the object of his affection. Sylly and Whisper also use their plumes in this pleasing manner.

But Felix has one gesture no other cat we’ve known has ever employed. When feeling especially kittenish and cuddly, our King pokes his nose up your nose! It’s just a brief, ticklish push, a variation on the classic cat head-bump. But if that eccentric gesture doesn’t melt your heart, you probably don’t have one.

Maybe because of all the reckless ones who rush across roads without looking, deer have a reputation for being stupid. But plenty of people wind up as roadkill, too.

In Fontesia, we suspect Bambi isn’t all that brainless. During hunting season our field fills with deer. Do they know hunting isn’t allowed within 200 feet of a house? Maybe they aren’t up on dates and numbers, but clearly deer know where they are safe. We bet they’d even wear blaze orange if they could.